


The Corrupting Influence of Power

by BrutusDeagon



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-07
Updated: 2019-08-31
Packaged: 2019-10-05 20:07:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 17,839
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17331518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrutusDeagon/pseuds/BrutusDeagon
Summary: Life is hard enough. Add in undead, death cults and monsters. Nick and Judy reunite after a looong time apart. Will she be able to tell him her secret before their lives are torn apart again? With luck and the gods of nature and light on their side maybe they will be able to save their world on the long road home.





	1. 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [](http://tinypic.com?ref=afk9ao)

A/N This is my first fan-fiction that I'm actually excited to write. I'm placing our favorite characters in a DnD type world.

Disclaimer: none of us own Zootopia sadly.

Nick POV

The two figures were dressed for the desert. Long sleeves, scarves and wrapped feet all meant to protect against the harsh weather. The taller of the two was a red fox who called himself Slick Nick. He was a traveling tradesmammal who excelled at getting what the scattered oasis towns needed. For a price of course. His much shorter friend a fennec fox called Finnick was from one of the nomadic barbarian clans. He prided himself on being an inconspicuous threat for any that would dare hurt Nick.

They both hated having to deal with their supplier. A disgraced former Noble turned thief who still insisted on mammals using his old title. The Duke of Weaselton was of course a weasel in every sense of the word. Unfortunately Nick and Finnick were foxes and as such were largely distrusted by more reputable suppliers. It was this that made the weasel a necessary evil for the two foxes. Without the relatively cheap merchandise they wouldn't even be able to buy food for themselves much less help those foxes less fortunate that they found along the way.

"Alright Finn," Nick said, "let's see what that slime ball brought for us this time."

In a voice that could terrify mammals many times his size the small fox responded, "Nick we need to find someone… anyone better than this creep. As it is my tribe won't last another season."

"I know. I know. But what can we do? Nobody wants to deal fairly with us."

"OK Nick I'll watch the front. You go get what you can sell from Weasleton so we can get outta here. Whistle if he pulls a weapon and then we can play pop the weasel." Finnick said with a face that was dead serious.

Nick left his friend at the entrance of the tent and went within.

The despicable weasel was sitting behind a table covered with stolen goods. He was dressed in clothes that had obviously been taken from someone three sizes larger than himself. They had definitely been chosen because they reminded the Duke of richer times.

"Well well if it isn't Slick Nick. Where's the short one? Finally get stepped on?" Weaselton sneered as he spoke with his slimy I'm better than you manner.

"You know he's outside Duke," said Nick in his usual cocky tone. "If I let him in here he'd hit you with that big maul for the last time you cheated us."

"Nicolas, how was I supposed to know those were fake jewels?" He retorted without a hint of being genuine.

"Let's just see what you... Hey!" Nick suddenly shouted. "That's mine you little crook!" He snatched up a perfectly weighted throwing knife and brandished it at the weasel.

"I took that from a paladin two towns back when she was bathing." The former noble said now sweating. "It was in a chest with some papers referring to some guy that steals from supply convoys and gives it all away."

"Uh oh," Nick said then turned and ran shouting for Finnick.

Judy POV

Dame Judith Hopps was angry. She had been humiliated by a small time thief. That horrible creep had stolen her armor, her sword, her clothes, and even her evidence chest. "Apollo damn him! He saw me naked!" She blushed in both shame and anger. Her posting in the Great Desert had taken its toll on her. Most nights she was awake on patrol of whatever oasis town she happened to be in while during the scorching days she'd use her magic to conjure enough water to bathe in and more often than not fall asleep in. Which was how the damned weasel had found and robbed her.

Her colleagues had thought she had been thrown out here as punishment or to make her quit. The truth was she had asked for it. The dagger that was in the chest belonged to the Dune Bandit and he may have a clue to what had happened so long ago. But now that it was in the weasel's paws she had to act fast… right after she got some clothes from the owner of the inn she was staying at.

After an extremely embarrassing conversation with the owner, Judith was dressed in children's clothes too big for her, having come from a young camel. She tracked the weasel through two towns and recruited some local guards to aid in his arrest.

"Dame Hopps two merchants were seen entering the Duke's tent. Should we go in now?"asked a male jackrabbit guard who was a head taller than her. "Oh and can I take you for a drink later?"

"First off James I'm married and second yes move in now!" She snapped at the guard.

As the guards began to make their way to Weasletons tent a shout rang out from inside. "Finnick! We gotta go now! The dumbass robbed a paladin!" The small fox exited followed closely by the taller and both stopped short when they saw her in borrowed armor with borrowed sword accompanied by three jackrabbits in guard uniforms.

"Judy?"


	2. Chapter 2

A/N so yeah the first 2 chapters are kinda short but I needed to get this set up in a way that made sense to me. Next up why does Nick know Judy? Why is a grassland rabbit in the desert? Yes, it's a flashback chapter! 

Disclaimer: I know 2 foxes one male one female I once confused one for the other. I bet Bluelighthouse got a good laugh at my expense that day. Oh and since I don't own Disney I don't own Zootopia.

Chapter 2

Ten years ago…

Lord General Bogo, a huge water buffalo in charge of the many adventuring paladins and clerics of the Order of Light, introduced the naive young rabbit to a fox a bit older than herself.

"Hopps, this is our best Stalker Nicholas Wilde. The two of you will be working together to infiltrate and destroy the Mage Dawn Bellwether's cult of the Goddess Nyx."

The buffalo left them to get acquainted trusting Nick to fill the bunny in on their operation.

"Well you don't disappoint do you, bunny?" The tod said smiling. "I asked for a warrior who could easily blend in with any crowd that had an innocent look about them and they send me a wide eyed beautiful new recruit who would be just at home in a dress as in armor." He continued as he circled her armored form looking pleased.

"Thank you, sir. I haven't exactly been told I was perfect for anything here before." She said blushing at his compliment. "So what did he mean when he said you were a Stalker?"

"None of that sir crap with me, Hopps. The names Nick. What's yours?"

"Judith but I prefer Judy."

"A Stalker is a deep cover operative. We typically work in teams of two with an Inquisitor, but my old partner got over-zealous and started killing people for minor indiscretions. I was forced to put Jack down. Hardest thing I've ever done." He said with a far away look filled with sadness. "Damn that hare."

"Inquisitor Savage was your partner? I'm so sorry. We were told about him during training." she said feeling his pain. "I'm no Inquisitor but I'm sure you will be proud to have Judith Laverne Hopps as your partner one day."

"Well Dame Hopps let's bust up some cultists."

After finding a goat suspected of being a cultist Nick had Judy, dressed as an innocent farm girl, follow him while Nick followed her from the rooftops. The goat slipped into a sewer tunnel with Judy not far behind. She let the goat get a small lead while she waited for Nick to catch up with her gear.

"Alright Daggers," greeted Nick with a smirk, "get your stuff on while I scout ahead."

"Daggers?" she asked.

"Small, hard, sharp and deadly. Just like you." he said as he vanished in the darkness.

Her breath caught in her throat as he said that. She blushed to the tip of her ears then tore away the dress revealing the padding she always wore under her armor. Judy quickly donned a shirt of scalemail, a helmet, bracers and greaves then took up her sword and shield and set off after him.

Nick, meanwhile was blushing as he ran silently grateful for the darkness. At the first intersection of tunnels he removed one of his many matching throwing knives from his bandoliers. He tapped the small emerald in the pommel causing it to glow faintly with magic. The small bit of light let him see goat tracks in the muck down the left tunnel. He carefully left the knife pointing to the left and continued on knowing he would be followed soon.

Three pointing knives later Judy caught up with Nick. He had his black cloak covering the two bandoliers over his shoulders and the one at his waist. He was watching figures in torchlight in a large chamber ahead. He pointed out the banners and robes of those gathered. The symbols of Nyx Goddess of primordial night covered them all. "These fools are messing with necromancy." he said as quietly as possible. Without her large ears she never would have heard him. "Magic like that has wiped whole cities from the map." He drew three knives with each paw and stalked silently, out of range of the torches, ever closer to his targets. Judy, however being more of a close range fighter marched forward confidant that, with her distraction, Nick would be unnoticed as he eliminated one after another.

"I am a Paladin of the Order of Light," she bellowed as loudly as she could. "Surrender now and you may be spared." The cultists were neither impressed or intimidated as they froze the charged once they realized she looked alone. As they brandished their weapons and began to move towards her two near the middle suddenly screamed and fell as daggers sprouted from legs, arms and torso. Judy saw this but didn't allow it to register for she had her own plan to put into motion. "Sacred animals of Apollo give me strength!" She said as she suddenly shot forward ten feet closing the distance between her and her closest foe. She rammed her shield into his face with all the force her body and power could muster launching the goat cultist into three others and sending them all sliding five feet more. The rabbit was easily as strong as the sacred cows of Apollo. A shadow suddenly moved amongst the floored cultists pinning them all to the floor with knives. Nick looked up at her with a grin. "Dang Daggers, remind me not to piss you off."

Nine years ago…

After the disappearance of Dawn Bellwether following the destruction of her cult Judy and Nick worked markets aiding local guardsmammals to capture thieves.

"Okay Daggers, you'll be in the market dressed as a noble." Nick informed her of his plan. "We'll have weapons hidden here and here in case you need to grab them quick." He said as he pointed at a rough map they had made. Then he looked up into her amethyst eyes and realized that if anything happened to her he'd die. "Hey, uh Judy… I just realized I love you."

"Took you long enough, Slick." She said as she launched herself into his arms kissing him with a passion usually reserved for the priestesses of Aphrodite. "I love you too."

Eight years ago…

"Dancing or theater before dinner?" He asked knowing that whatever she decided he was ready with the ring.

Seven years ago…

"I, Nicholas Piberius Wilde, take Judith Laverne Hopps to be my wife."

"I, Judith Laverne Hopps, take Nicholas Piberius Wilde to be my husband."

Less than a week after the wedding...

"Bogo gave me a deep cover op," Nick said with a depressed face. "I can't even take you with me on this one. He said I have to go alone. I don't know how long this is going to take but I will come home to you. I swear it by all the gods of Olympus."

"Where is he sending you can you tell me that at least?"

"No he's completely classified it. I'm sorry to leave you so soon, but he just doesn't care what we want." Then his face got a dark look to it as his mind shifted to anger. "He's always had it out for me and the other foxes in the Order. I'll send you something to point the way when it's safe to. Goodbye, my love."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Now that I've given you all a look into the past, it's time to return to the present. I will go into their families and all that at a later date. Thanks to my buddy Sapperjoe85 for helping me edit my story. Yes even I, a person who does more editing than writing, need a little help sometimes.

Disclaimer: Halloween joke I wrote, what did the werewolf say when his pants fell off? Sorry about the full moon! Still not the owner of the great story that is Zootopia.

Back to the present…

"Judy?" Nick's face was one of shock mixed with pleasure as his eyes hit her.

Her eyes however filled with anger before she whispered a prayer to the sun God for his sight. She blinked, and her sight changed to light and darkness.

Where Nick stood was a bright white light, the little fennec was a bit darker but what shocked her was the guards she had recruited. Where the three jackrabbits stood were three swirling clouds of dark black smoke.

"Ah nuts." She thought, then blinked her eyesight back to normal as she shield bashed James, knocking him to the ground.

"Hopps!" The other two cried out as they turned to her, "What are you doing?"

"Keeping scum away from my husband!" She yelled back.

"Love that spell," Nick said as he used the knife I his paw to cut away his merchant disguise, revealing his leather armor and bandoliers of knives. "She's on our side Finnick but the rest seem to be fair game."

"Never got to play put the jackrabbit in the box before," the little fox said as he hefted his warhammer.

He charged the nearest jackrabbit with the roar of a mammal many times his size. The rabbit turned around in time to intercept the head of the oversized maul with his face.

The guard's teeth went flying as he spun around.

Nick threw the blade in his paw at the rabbit enemy still standing, while drawing three more in one fluid motion. His target had barely gotten over his shock when he was suddenly impaled pinning his shield arm to his torso through the elbow joint in his armor.

His cry of pain was answered by several more of rage when the remaining six guard Judy had brought charged out of the tent, weasel blood on their weapons.

"The fool ran right into these bloodthirsty beasts." Nick thought, as he seemed to dance away from their wildly swinging swords and maces.

He sent a prayer to the twin gods of light, asking for the power to blind his enemies and with a bright flash his request was granted.

Judy meanwhile was facing off against James.

They traded blow for blow on shields, feeling out each other's strength. Judy gasped for breath as James lunged, going for a killing blow.

Too bad for him she had trained with a fox. With surprising grace for a knight in armor she twisted around in a spin that brought her well within his reach then jumped, ramming her helmet into his unprotected chin.

His teeth slammed together, shattering on the massive impact, and he hit the ground for the second time in as many minutes.

Finnick dropped his heavy maul on the jackrabbit he'd knocked senseless and turned, growling at the blinded camel and coyote guards.

He charged headfirst at a camel and dove forward, grabbing the camel's knee.

The impact knocked him off balance and Finnick slid around kicking the other knee out from under him.

Before Finnick could even hit the ground, he launched himself at the next closest guard roaring "I'm gonna bite your face off!"

The terrifying voice of the fennec fox caused the guards to all scream and attempt to run away. Instead they all collided in the center in one comical mess as Finnick really did bite into a coyote's face.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: so yeah I kinda left y'all hanging in the middle of the end of that fight… sorry. Anyway this chapter has nothing at all to do with it. Muahaha. Flashback chapter engaged.

Disclaimer: no matter how many Disney employees in costume I kidnap they won't release Zootopia to me. The bodies are starting to smell.

 

Eighteen years ago…

Cousin Jack's book had made a big impact on the outlook of Judy Hopps. For the past three years since he had taught her to read she had been studying the large book of genealogy he had left with her father. The large volume had been enchanted to never tell anything but the truth and to be usable by any who wished to use it. According to the book the Hopps clan went back to the times when dragons had been numerous in the sky and on the earth. The oldest part of the book claimed they were descended from two of the Olympian Dragons that had ascended to godhood. The patron of rabbits Aphrodite goddess of love and the sun god Apollo.

Once a year the Pantheon sends a priest to Bunnyburrow to recruit potential acolytes for the Olympian temples. All youths of nine years of age who wish to serve one of the Olympian's temples go before her to learn about the Olympians before they make their final decision.

"Okay kits," the old female bobcat called priestess Rosaline, addressed Judy and her peers, "Now who can tell me about Artemis?"

Judy and a fox her age raised their paws. "Gideon? Right?"

"Yes'm. Artemis is the patron of canids and Goddess of the Moon."

"Very good. Judy? Anything else?"

"Artemis, called the maiden goddess, commonly takes the form of various canines of silvery color and when she was still a dragon she was anything but a maiden. She and her brother Apollo instructed their combined followers to create the Order of light in order to combat the forces of darkness."

"Wow," Rosaline said mildly impressed, "that was more than I expected from one so young. Kind of sounded like you memorized an old book."

"Not the whole thing ma'am. Just the good parts." Judy said to the amusement of the others.

"Now I'm intrigued Judy," stated Rosaline, "Who do you intend to devote yourself too?"

"I want to be a paladin of the Order of the Light and follow the twins Apollo and Artemis."

"Well then tell me about Apollo."

"Apollo lord of the sun is typically depicted three different ways, but according to legends when he was a dragon he was so indecisive he couldn't even settle on gender much less species. Which is why so many families once claimed he or she was an ancestor. Anyway the three mammals he shows himself as are a flaming stallion, a cherry red cow, and a hybrid of the two which has both genders."

Later in the Hopps Burrow…

Judy turned the page of the old book to one her cousin had marked. It had a small entry on the families Artemis had started. The pages were stained and tattered but two words stood out, Frost and Wilde.

Thirteen years ago…

Inquisitor Jack Savage had had enough. The Lord General had refused to promote him again. He'd captured or killed more enemies of the Order than any other has in twice the time. He'd trained many paladins and rogues in their ways and tactics. So why was he passed over yet again? According to Bogo, because he loved a vixen. Specism at it's finest. He stomped down the torch lit corridor to his latest partner a young fox tod with the greatest potential he'd seen in a Stalker since his wife Skye Frost.

"Well Jack, how'd it go?" Nicholas Wilde asked curiously.

"Denied." He stated flatly. Jack walked right past without even looking up, "I'm going home to my wife."

He stomped off without another word leaving Nick speechlessly wondering how his mentor could have been treated that way.

…

Sometime past midnight Jack awoke the light of the full moon shining on his face. He took the opportunity to gaze at his beautiful bride and marvel at her swollen belly and the little miracle within. Their second story bedroom kept most of the sounds of the road below from waking him but their combined paranoia kept the curtains open at night so the enchanted streetlights left just enough light for him to see by.

He left the bed slowly and quietly so as not to wake his love. The hare went to the window to gaze at the moon and the lights of the city. From the balcony he heard mammals walking through the street below. A loud crash from below him caused his ears to jerk upright and Skye awoke.

"Jack," she whispered. "Someone's in the house." Skye rolled out of bed her nightgown draped haphazardly over her pregnant form. She opened her bedside table and withdrew a belt of knives and a spiked chain from off its hook above it.

Jack moved swiftly and quietly as possible to where his sword and shield hung on the wall. Once he retrieved them he moved to ready himself for any foe who entered the door. His sensitive ears picked up the sound of heavy hooves in the hall, followed by the sound of a crowd of mammals coming up the stairs.

The door burst open and in flowed their foes. From his position Jack could see nothing but cloaked and masked figures holding clubs. The first one in quickly found it hard to breathe with a spiked chain around his throat, spikes penetrating deep. With a quick tug Skye tore out his throat and switched to the belt of knives.

Jack met the charge stoically not leaving his spot as mammal after mammal tried to hit him and found either his sword or shield in the way. Then suddenly he would strike with first one then the other either bludgeoning or slashing the enemies in front of him.

Skye threw knife after knife never missing her targets. The doorway provided a perfect choke point but unfortunately she quickly ran out of knives. Unable to aid her love that way any longer she tried to retrieve her chain.

Jack tried to give her the time she needed but was quickly overwhelmed. The two lovers were soon held down and beaten till both their faces were bloody. At this point the heavy hoofed mammal who had been waiting in the hall this whole time entered the room.

"The great Jack Savage brought down at my command." The voice coming from behind the mask was deep and raspy. "I feel so honored."

"Please let her go," Jack begged, "Take me, I won't resist so long as you leave her."

"Very well," the voice chuckled, "Have it your way. This will be more fun than what I had planned anyway."

With that he reached into his jacket and withdrew a hooffull of blue powder that he threw into Jack's face. Then he turned and said to his followers, "Let's leave the lovebirds alone."

The cloaked mammals who were still alive then released Jack and Skye and hurriedly left the room, barring the door behind them.

The sounds within the room of Jack snarling were only interspersed with the voice of Skye, "Jack, darling it's ok they're gone. Jack what are you doing? Jack stop please it's me. Jack no stop aaaaahhhhhh!"

The leader removed his mask while leaving the house. He was a ram with acid burns on his face. His ghastly smile showing that he took great pleasure in what he had done. The screams cut off as he turned the corner and continued on down the street.

…

Nick had been tracking his mentor for two weeks. Since the death of Jack's wife and unborn child at Jack's hands, his old friend had not been the same. The strange substance that had driven Jack temporarily insane had worn off only to have his mind break at the thought of what he had done. At first he had just seemed sad but angry at the world. He'd yell at children playing in the street, bludgeon jaywalkers, and beat almost to death a group of teenagers who were whispering that he'd murdered his wife. After that he had disappeared, and Nick had been sent after him.

The town were Nick followed his tracks to was in ruins. The mammals who had lived there did no longer. Jack had showed no mercy. The streets were coated in dried blood. Most of the buildings were burned. Bodies were piled here and there were they had tried to stop the rampaging knight. It only made it easier for him to kill them.

Nick found him in the town square. Jack was just sitting there, his armor and sword covered in blood.

"Jack," Nick called out to him, "What have you done?"

"I hoped they'd send you Nick," Jack answered. "Now you see what they've done to me. I'm nothing more than a killer, Nick. I deserve nothing but the best to take me down."

Jack stood and faced his friend. He left his shield on the ground and charged sword in his paw raised to strike.

Nick swung the chain he'd taken from Jack's house. Skye's chain which she had trained Nick in the use of. It wrapped around Jack's arm and neck. Nick gave the chain the same tug that Skye had shown him many times, and tore out Jack's throat. The spray of blood told Nick there was no way for Jack to survive. He then dropped the chain and walked head down without stopping, sleeping or eating all the way back to the Order's headquarters.

...

A short ewe with squinty eyes and dressed all in blood red robes with hood and the ram from Jack's house stepped up to Jack's corpse.

"Well Doug, you're lucky this worked out in our favor," she said looking up at her ally.

"And we got the added bonus of breaking him first, Dawn." he replied smugly.

"Yes the madness should aid in controlling him."

Dawn then withdrew from within her robes a black pearl and placed it in Jack's mouth. She placed her hooves on his chest and began speaking an incantation. After about a minute purplish energy seemed to emit from the corpse then receded into it.

"Arise, my servant!" Dawn yelled into the night. "Arise and serve the will of Nix!"

Jack Savage opened his eyes. Hunger and anger were all he could think of. That and a desire to serve the will of the strange ewe who had brought him into this new undeath.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: So it has come to my attention that my flashback chapters lack clarity on the timeline. So here's a little clarification whenever I am referring to years ago it's time from present day. That saved me some time. Bragging rights to whoever finds the reference to an old Disney animated film I don't have the rights to either.

Disclaimer: I don't own Zootopia. Can't think of something funny to put this time.

Finnick bit into the coyote's face. Then he jumped away spitting and retching. "Yuck oh my Gods! That guy tastes disgusting."

A voice answered Finnick. It was wheezy and familiar to both Judy and Nick.

"Yes, he would taste that way," the voice seemed to come from behind Judy among the tents.

"You see they've all been dead for weeks." With that statement the guards all rose from the ground. The illusion magic that had hidden their true nature had ended with that simple statement of truth. Every guard was a ghoul. An undead creature that hungers from the flesh of the living. Smarter than simple zombies they enjoy fooling their prey into trusting them and then ambush them and eat them.

The figure the voice belonged to was encased in full plate mail, with a spiked chain dug in around its neck and pierced through in several places as it wound its way around him. He was about a head taller than Judy. His ears stuck through his helmet and were at least as long as hers. But they were devoid of any fur. He reached his gauntleted paw up and raised his visor.

"Hello cousin," Jack wheezed its been a long time. "Nick, good to see you. Hope I can return the favor you gave me of a swift death."

"Jack," both husband and wife replied at the same time.

"I'm in a good mood today," he said as his wicked smile took them all in, "and so because of that I'm going to give you a head start. It makes the game more fun… for me."

The ghouls all gather around Jack. "One minute old friend," Jack said, "Now run so we can have some fun before we feed."

Judy didn't look scared at all. She ran forward instead and leaped up into the middle slamming her blade into the ground. An energy wave emanated from the impact sight frying every ghoul with pure life energy. In that flash the ghouls were reduced to dust clouds and empty armor.

As the dust began to settle Jack was shown to be untouched. His previous grin had been replaced with a snarling rictus of rage. He stepped forward and back handed Judy so hard and so fast she was propelled over the tents and into the Oasis pool. Her heavy armor dragging her unconscious form down the ten feet to the bottom.

"Oops," Jack said coldly, "Well now I need to get more of my servants so I can go on a proper hunt. You might want to get her out of that water, Nick, if you want to die together."

With that Jack turned and walked away while Nick ran for the deep water shedding his gear as he ran. Nick dived under desperately seeking Judy. A glint of metal from the deepest point had him going deeper. He just reached her as his air gave out, one paw on her armor straps. He began to black out when he felt lips press against his. Air suddenly forced the water from his lungs. His eyes shot back open. He was underwater at the bottom of a deep pool and the wife he had just found again was giving him air as she was dragging him through the water one slow step at a time.

A few minutes later a despondent Finnick saw something emerging slowly from the water. Judy was carrying Nick, as though he were the smaller of the two, out of the water even though they were both soaked to the bone. Her helmet was dented and her head bleeding where it cut into her but she showed no sign of having nearly been drowned. Nick on the other paw was coughing as soon as they emerged from the water.

"How are you not dead?" Nick spluttered.

"I found out a year ago that I can breathe underwater," Judy replied matter of factly. From the looks she was getting she realized she'd have to explain. "Okay, a troll caught me and decided to see how long it'd take a rabbit to drown wearing heavy armor in a swamp. Took me a day of walking from one end to the other on the bottom before I got out. Got even though. I got to see how long a troll exposed to fire lasts when he's sliced to tiny pieces."

Finnick looked from one to the other with a strange look on his face. "You two sure do make sense together. Nick show her the face thing."

"What face thing?" Judy asked as Nick brought a paw to his face blocking his eyes from view.

When he removed his paw his eyes were no longer the emerald orbs she loved to get lost in. They had changed to blue as the sky on a summer day. His fur had become white and his voice when he spoke was more airy.

"Ran from some guards three years ago and turned a corner the whole way wishing I could lose them. Tripped over a basket full of fruit and hit the sand giving them the chance to catch up. When they came up to me they helped me up and asked where the red fox who had knocked me down went. Imagine my surprise when I saw my reflection, a grey fox instead of the red one I expected."

Judy looked as shocked as they had been, but then understanding overrode it. Finnick and Nick helped her remove the helmet and then Judy used her Paladin healing powers to heal her head.

"Nick,"Judy said as she started back to the late weasel's tent, "we need to get my things and go home."

"I'm not going back to the Order," Nick said growling, "they told me you had died during a mission."

"One, I said home not to the Order Nick," Judy said calmly, "Two, they told me the same thing about you and until a few months ago I believed them. Three, I stopped working for them shortly after they took you from u... me."

She went inside the tent ditching the ill fitting borrowed armor and clothes. Finnick simply turned to the entrance giving them as much privacy as possible. Judy found her chest and clothes in a corner of the tent the Duke had been using as a bedroom.

"Nick there's a book in my chest you might want to look at when we aren't running from an undead psychopath."

"Oh," he replied, "What's it about?"

"Genealogy," She answered. "To be specific, ours."

"Ours? Don't you mean yours? How could it have mine?"

"It's enchanted Slick. It works for anyone so long as they have a certain bloodline. In our case a draconic one."

She emerged dressed in her traveling clothes and armor half buckled. Nick moved to help without being asked just saying the word that kept going through his mind, "What?"

"The powers you can't explain are because we are both descended from Olympian dragons. The twins in fact. I am descended from Apollo and Aphrodite, and you from Artemis."

"If you were not a paladin I'd call you a liar. Holy crap."

Judy, now fully kitted out in her own gear, was a vision in gold filigree covered full plate. She easily lifted her heavy chest which Nick had to drag.

"How long can you maintain your sacred communion now?" Nick asked her. The ability she displayed during their first mission that granted her the strength of Apollo's sacred mammals.

"Almost all day."Judy answered, "So long as I perform the ritual every morning I'm essentially as strong as a horse except for when I'm asleep."

Finnick while they had been talking had been throwing various expensive or deadly items into one sack that seemed to have no bottom. "You two see any food?"

"What's your friends name?" Judy asked Nick quietly.

"It's Finnick," Finnick answered from the other side of the tent while pointing to his overly large ears with a small grin. "And you're my friend Nick's wife Judy. Pleasure to finally meet you this side of death."

"You too Finnick," she said. "And I already packed his food. Let's get out of here before my undead cousin comes back."

The three then made their way out of the tent village around the oasis. The villagers looked to have all been killed at some point in the night. Jack had been busy. The companions made their way to the northeast, the exact opposite direction that Jack had been heading, towards a place in the exact center of the Great Dunes. It seemed to move from one location to another but still stayed near the center. A strange place called the Druid's Oasis. It was a rainforest in the center of a desert, if not the definition of strange then pretty darn close.

Nick and Judy let Finnick lead the way as he knew the desert better than either of them having lived there his entire life. They trudged on through to the morning, at which point Judy collapsed. Nick crouched to check on her and discovered that she was asleep in her armor, snoring loudly. He carefully removed her armor so that she wouldn't be stiff when she awoke. Then he took out a medium mammal tent for two mammals about the size of wolves. He and Finnick set it up quickly and got her inside before she could burn in the heat. Then Nick told Finnick to get some rest as he kept watch.

As they slept Nick decided to take Judy's advice and read her book. The chest was one he had given her during the early years of their partnership, and so he knew that anything important was under the false bottom he had installed himself. He hit the hidden release on the outside and the whole contents of the chest raised up out of it in an inner box. Under it as he expected was an old book.

It was bound in crocodile skin leather, and looked as old as the invention of bound books. For it's age he found it remarkably durable and when he opened it the pages were the same. The amount of power put into creating this book must have been considerable.

The first pages contained information about the Olympian Dragons before their ascension. Zeus was a massive platinum dragon who loved to fly among winged mammals as one of them. Hera was a winged five headed hydra who loved creatures with as many colors as her, from birds to artists among mammalkind and all the way down to butterflies. Ares a horribly tempered red dragon that reveled in violence loved to travel the earth as the similarly tempered rhino and boar. Aphrodite was a brass dragon who talked with mammals of all kinds but especially those among rabbits and hares who shared her stamina. Hades a horribly ugly black dragon spent much of his time among carrion eaters. The twins of light… 'blah blah blah' .

Skipping the stuff he knows takes several pages. Then he finds many pages stained or burned with barely a letter that he can read here and there. Finally he reaches pages he can read again. Families of Aphrodite among rabbitkind and harekind.

"Whoa this family has completely died out." Nick murmured. "The Leaps and the Savages too. Looks like Jack was the last male of his name. His cousin Bonnie is still alive but she is married to a Stuart... Hopps. Oh those are Daggers' parents."

The next page showed the Hopps clan… and the next one and the next one got to this century. Apparently big families were the norm for the Hopps family. Finally he finds Stuart and Bonnie and there generation. Stuart is the sole survivor of his generation. All of his siblings and cousins are dead. The younger generation all seems to be fine.

"Okay this book even knows where the living currently are," Nick mused mildly impressed. "Bunnyburrow, of course they are all there."

"Nick?" Judy called tiredly, "what are you looking at?"

"Your book Daggers," he answered.

"Give it to me Nick," she ordered her voice trembling slightly, "I need to show you something."

The way she took it from Nick seemed strange to him, as though she was deliberately covering something on the page with her paw. She then turned the pages to the ones about the families of Artemis.

"Nick," Judy said quietly, "Somebody is killing off the bloodlines of the Gods."

"Why didn't you look at the book when you were told I was dead?"

"That's easy Nick." she replied easily. "I couldn't find it. Some kit in the burrow was using it to prop up his lopsided desk and nobody in the family knew till the shoddy piece of crap fell apart two months ago."

Judy showed Nick the Frost family first and how it had been wiped out when Skye was killed. Then a wolf family that lived in the Druid's Oasis even now. Finally she showed the Wilde family and again seemed to cover part of the page. His mother was still alive and some of his cousins but not more than that.

Again his eyes move to her paw. Why is she covering our names? Oh no, she thought I was dead! Did she marry some buck? Did she get drunk and have a one night stand resulting in kits? Why else would she cover us up? Is she an undead like Jack? No she would have killed us. Gods what am I doing? Out of my head horrible thoughts, please?

"Nick?" Judy got his attention. "I'm doing a horrible job hiding something from you. Forgive me, my love, but it is for a good reason. I will tell you and if we hurry to the Druid's Oasis, then it will be all the sooner."

His mind finally quieted at her words. Nick then went to fix them some breakfast while Judy began her daily rituals. They woke Finnick with the noise and the three then had a quick breakfast of dried veggies and fruits. They broke camp and began moving through the sand toward the dark spot on the horizon that could only be the Druid's Oasis.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Okay so typically I follow around the two main characters and catalogue everything they say and do. This time however they have to wait till I catch up with them. How about we start with some villains, and then you also get to see my O/C, an old crippled former playboy of a wolf called Craer.

Disclaimer: I promised I'd get the rights for Zootopia if I could use a pinecone reference. I failed but used one anyway. Thanks Bluelighthouse!

 

Dawn walked through the dark temple angrily pondering what she had seen through Jack's eyes. She reached a room of the temple reserved just for audiences with the High Priest.

"Dawn," a deep voice called out, "Has your hunter killed the fox yet? It has been seven years he has been hunting. Please tell me you have good news."

"No Master," Dawn spit out regretfully, "only more bad news. Judith Hopps arrived and saved him."

The roar of anger was not unexpected but scared Dawn anyway. She cowered visibly even after the noise had ceased.

"Apparently your hunter is inadequate for this job. I'm sending some of my own to finish them. If he continues to disappoint I'm going to replace you both."

…

Jack looked out at the latest wave of ghouls he was sending after his cousin and her husband. In the deepest part of his mind he hoped they would escape but he still had no choice other than hunt them down. After he left them in the ruins of the battle he'd been sending a steady stream of undead creatures after them. As far as he could tell they'd gotten no more than 5 hours of sleep in three days. The part of him that was still Jack urged them to hurry to the Druid's Oasis. At that place his minions could not reach them. The other part, however wanted to taste victory over them and their flesh.

…

"Spirit of the still sands protect the travelers and guide them to Will. He will send them to me."

An odd looking old wolf of indeterminable age spoke to a small sand twister and it seemed to listen then flew off. He walked with a staff in his right paw but no longer had a left one or the arm it had been attached to. His left eye was marred by a scar that traced down that side of his face. Despite his difficulties he moved with ease and a grin never left his face. The fur that covered him had once been black but had faded long ago to dark gray. But his age was not what made his appearance odd. Around his face was a dark mane that would have been at home on a lion, and his tail seemed to have come from a tiger. He was taller than most wolves, standing at a good seven and a half feet tall.

As he walked the well worn path through his woods he came close to a tree with a ladder up to a treehouse that had a view of the sands from its place in the trees. His ears picked up noises of a rather pleasant sort up above that he just couldn't help interrupting.

"AAarrrrooooooo!" he howled at the base of the tree.

"EEEK!" "Ouch!" "Gods dammit Craer!"

"If you two need a third I'm always up for it," he yelled up the tree.

The wolf called Craer laughed heartily at the discomfort he had caused in his two underlings. At least until a barrage of pinecones started coming his way. "Ah crap."

Later a much bruised Craer walked up the hanging ramps into the treetop village above the Oasis floor. Upon reaching the walkway at the top he passed one of his daughters who noticed the latest damage his unfiltered mouth had caused. She sighed and shook her head then followed the old fool to the temple. She held her tongue but shrugged every time they passed one of her many half-siblings. Their father had been well known in his youth by every passing female, single or not, as both a shameless flirt and very generous lover. He had never settled down with one female, if he was ever asked he'd say it wasn't his style. The results of his promiscuous lifestyle soon enough got him into trouble with jealous males and angry females alike, not to mention the many hybrid children he had to end up raising almost by himself. A few females that he had wooed stayed with him through the years being either completely in love with his philosophy or just him. Not many though.

As they reached the outdoor temple in the tallest tree Craer marched up to the altar. His daughter looked like a wolf but taller and with the coloring and stripes of a tiger. Like many of her siblings Lilyrose was a hybrid of two species, wolf on her father's side and tiger on her mother's. Craer, being a druid, was a shapeshifter like the dragons in his bloodline. It had a strange effect on his natural form after being around for so long. His bedpartners began to leave an impact on his appearance.

"Lilyrose," said the old wolf with a look more serious than she was used to seeing on her father, "gather everyone together we need to discuss the defense of our home."

"Yes Father." she said not leaving till he explained. "As soon as you tell me how you pissed her off this time."

"The usual," he smirked, "howled at and propositioned the female while she was pleasuring her boytoy. Dang that bunny has an arm."

Father and daughter both laughed at his choice of words. Then she walked up to him and smacked him upside the head. Then she went to do as he requested shaking her head at the dirty old male who was her father.

Why did I have to get so old? He thought bitterly. When I was younger I practically had females lined up outside my door.

…

The spirit known at the Oasis as Still Sands gathered her power as she flew. She knew what it would take to do her friends bidding… a sandstorm the like of which she hadn't caused in years. As the spirit flew it grew and changed, no longer the spirit of Still Sands but the massive and deadly Spirit of the Flying Desert. The spirits identity did not truly change. It still had the same motivations and personality but she still felt so different when she cut loose like this that she felt a name change was in order.

The sentient wave of sand swept out from the Druid's Oasis and over the dunes where even now three beleaguered and exhausted warriors were fighting the monstrous rabbit's horde of undead as they ran. The sands controlled by the spirit swept around the battle and closed in around cutting a majority of the undead cannibals from reaching the three living adventurers.

Seizing the opportunity for a much deserved breather Judy struck with her Holy Light shockwave destroying the monsters that remained within her line on sight.

"You can show yourself Sandy," Nick called out to the storm he knew was keeping them away from the dead.

Still Sands twisted down through the three companions, pleased at having been recognized by the red fox she had only met once before.

It had been a few years after he had heard about Judy's death and he had slipped into drowning his sorrows in a bottle of whatever alcohol he could get his paws on. One morning he awoke deep in the desert with no memory of how he got there and no idea of where to go to get out of the sun. The Spirit of Still Sands had been flying by seeing what she could learn for the druids when she stumbled across Nick stumbling along looking desperately for shelter from the sun. She had flown down and led him to the nearest tribe of fennec foxes.

As Nick continued to tell the story of how he had come across the Spirit of Still Sands the spirit had flown in front of each of the companions and briefly taken on their shape. "And so as the fennecs made sure I wasn't going to die from lack of food, water or being roasted in the sun I was watched constantly by Sandy here." Nick continued to explain as they followed the clearing in the center of the moving sandstorm. "Eventually I realized she was concerned for my mental health, at least I guessed that much. Her method of communication isn't exactly normal as you saw when she took our forms in a way of settling us at ease. I am pretty sure that when she does this it means hi. I told Sandy what was troubling me, that I had been told you had died and that I was having trouble finding a reason to go on living."

"My poor fox," Judy said saddened by the lies that had nearly destroyed their lives. "You had to have been so lonely."

Still Sands stopped swirling at this simple statement from Judy. The storm swirling around them stopped too as though time had simply stopped. Nick nearly walked into the floating wall of sand before he noticed.

"Uhh okay what just happened?" He asked momentarily confused. "Oh right. Sandy, remember when I told you that my wife was dead? Well here she is! Alive and well, so it looks like I got lied to. Okay while we wait for that to register with her, I'll continue. Our beliefs state to preserve life so it's not like I could just kill myself. Well the fennec tribe, of which Finnick here is a member, were listening and decided to ask for my help. They gave me a new purpose, making sure that the nomadic fox tribes out here don't get totally screwed out of supplies. So I revived Slick Nick the traveling salesfox. But that's not all. Oh no. As you no doubt noticed something weird has been going on out here for years. Mammals dying of thirst and hunger, not to mention just disappearing pissed me off so I used my other skills and became the Dunes Bandit."

Still Sands suddenly started moving again and with her the storm. The sand spirit flew down to Judy and became an incredibly lovely vixen. Then the face of the sand vixen looked thoughtful and changed to various rabbit and fox kit shapes sometimes taking features from one into the other. Judy's face which had looked confused at first then took one of shock and for a moment fear and sadness.

Nick saw everything on her face and his dark thoughts began to surface again. Why is she sad to see kits? Is she afraid of becoming pregnant by me? Artemis give me the strength to take whatever her secrets may be. He decided to say something to distract everyone and get the group moving again. "Looks like Sandy thought you were a vixen, Daggers."

The spirit stopped wondering what Nick and Judy's kits would look like and moved the sand in front of them to show the entrance to what looked like an ancient tomb.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Not sure how long this chapter has taken by now. I've been distracted with life, Christmas, and everything, but Don't Panic Chapter 8 is finally here. BTW next time a guest reviews my fic try both english and clarity because I know you spanish posters can read it and when you say you know what her secret is because it's obvious then I've got a surprise for you. There is NEVER an end to secrets and lies. HAHAHA

Disclaimer: Life sucks then ya die so enjoy what you can when you can like supposedly crappy fanfics by authors who don't own Zootopia. I'm a tad bitter today. Had to block a total tool who had the balls to call me a bad parent because he is a bully to my kid. Looking at you Venomheart!

 

The Spirit of Still Sands unleashed the full force of her sandstorm once the three companions were inside the shelter of the tomb. The roar of the wind and sand drove them deeper inside. The walls of yellow colored stone had no light to reflect down the tunnel and even the night vision of the two foxes could only see a few feet ahead of them.

"I don't have many spells left but this I can manage," Nick said as he picked up a dislodged rock.

He said a prayer to his Goddess Artemis and the rock began to glow like a torch. The todd led the way for the smaller mammals with him. Finnick was using his oversized maul like a cane to hold him up as he followed tiredly. Judy wasn't much better having thrown her chest into Finnicks magic bag to reduce the weight she was carrying.

The companions worked their way deeper into the tomb hoping to find a way out as the strange spirit covered their escape. As they walked they began to notice strange pictures on the walls.

"This looks like a warning," Judy told them as she studied some of the pictures etched into the walls.

"They are," said a voice deeper in the dark. "But you need not worry I tripped that trap over a hundred years ago. And have since destroyed it so that no other mammal will be cursed like I was."

Heavy steps brought the mammal into view. He looked to have once been a jackal but it had been a long time since he was still alive. His body was wrapped with linens that had been torn over the years. The tired companions readied their weapons to defend themselves but the creature just stood there looking at them.

"I am Will. or was anyway." he said regretfully, "I used to be a treasure hunter, but look where that got me. Come on I'll show you the safest way out and to the Druid's Oasis."

The jackal mummy then turned and started walking down the tunnel leading the way for the surprised and exhausted living mammals. It seemed he knew every bit of the maze that these tombs proved to be as at every turn he just continued on purposefully and quietly not speaking as though to give them the time to rest at least their minds if not their bodies.

"Up ahead there is a place a cleric set up that the undead cannot enter. It is safe for you to rest there. I will meet you on the other side after you have slept. Then I will show you the way to my father."

The dead jackal then shuffled off away from them as they stumbled into a room that had been used as a camp many times as there was evidence of many fires lit in this chamber. It had been a campsite before and still bore the signs of a magically hallowed place. No evil could touch them here. Judy was beyond caring anymore who or what heard them here. As she ditched her weapons and armor and cuddled up with Nick in his bedroll. He having only leather armor had managed to ditch his spread the bedroll and help her out of hers in the same amount of time it took her to get halfway out of her platemail.

"I missed this most of all," she said as Nick sighed contentedly falling into a deep sleep next to his bunny.

Finnick was curled up in his own bedding off by himself snoring. Judy had wanted to tell Nick the truth but the exhaustion they were all suffering from took another chance. The next safe place would be reached soon she knew, but impatience was always her way. She was going to wake him up but her own drowsiness finally claimed her.

…

The magical sandstorm was unexpected. The ghoul lord Jack Savage thought. Some mammal wants them to succeed.

The reinforcements the High Priest had sent were two of the ugliest undead Jack had ever seen. Mostly skeletal cats with strange tentacle mouths protruding from their forepaws and mouths. They seemingly didn't care about the storm as they simply walked straight through drawn inexorably toward their quarry. Jack decided to follow these creatures who identified themselves as "Morgh". The one and only word they could say. At least they seemed to know where they were going.

...

There was no telling how long they had slept with no natural light but they didn't care. They had slept until they could no longer. Nick awoke and the first thing he did was look into the eyes he had missed seeing for seven years.

"I missed this most of all… well almost most." Nick said with his signature smirk and a grope of her tail.

She squeaked and bit his nipple in retaliation. The resulting noise woke up Finnick. The lovers looked over at their grinning friend and blushed.

"Oh don't mind me, continue what you were doing." he said not looking away.

"Good morning Finnick," they said as they instead crawled out of their bedding and prepared for the long trek to their destination.

"Nick," Judy whispered sounding frightened, a tone which never had been heard by Nick before, "When you left I went home. Not long after I got there I got sick. It was my mother that realized what it meant."

The look on Nick's face as his mind put together what she was meaning was at first unreadable. Then a little grin hit his mouth right before he laughed and keeled over. Nick had fainted. Finnick looked over at them confused.

"Why would getting sick after he left make him faint?" the little fox asked completely missing the point.

Nick suddenly shot bolt upright and looked at Judy with his eyes wide as they could go. She nodded at the question he couldn't seem to voice.

"I'm a … I'm a f…"

"Yes," Judy took one of his paws in her own and answered with a faint whisper, "you're a father. We had four kits. One of our daughters was stillborn. Another one was out of the burrow when she was three being watched by my sister Jill. We found them hours later torn apart. Abigail and Amelia are buried in the family plot. Aarron and Amethyst are with my parents and the surviving members of our families including your mother. We transformed the Burrow into a castle after Amelia and Jill were murdered. We all thought you were dead but a couple months back I got a letter from one of our friends still inside the Order. Benjamin had found those papers and the knife in one of the evidence lockers, and I had to know."

"Why couldn't you tell me before now?" he managed to choke out.

"I couldn't risk being overheard," she explained trying to convey seven years of pain and loss into one look. "If Jack or one of his monsters had heard they would send an army at the Burrow and we would lose our last two children."

"Why here?"

"We can't be overheard here except by Finnick."

"Oh the camp is magic, I forgot." the todd said amazed and more than a little pissed off at this whole situation. "Daggers? Would you object if I told you I wanted to kill Bogo?"

"Can I help?" she asked knowing that if not for him sending Nick on that mission he would have gotten to know his children.

"What is this Bogo guy you two are talking about?" Finnick asked as he started throwing his gear on and his bedding in the magic bag of holding.

"Water buffalo, why?"

"Maybe my maul can help correct his bad moooood."


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Spent a couple days a bit annoyed with the weather and during one of them I took my frustrations out on fictional monsters. Miniboss fight! Spoiler alert! Jack will be seen again but which side will the heroes face? For those able to understand what the heck I'm blabbering about with all the DnD monsters and spells and stuff Nick and Judy are high level characters at the present point in their lives. Finnick is slightly less so. I will be moving on from undead soon as Jack is dealt with once and for all to be honest I wasn't expecting to still be in the desert by this time. Ah whatever.

Disclaimer: I don't own Zootopia. What's better than roses on your piano? I want to see your answers before I give mine next chapter. Make it dirty make it funny I don't care.

Chapter 9

The companions followed the mummy known as Will though the maze of tombs and cave-ins. As they made their trip through the darkness sounds began to make themselves heard. Strange shuffling noises that only Finnick and Judy could pick up. Their ears followed the noises as they moved in the pitch blackness. The exit was in sight not thirty feet away when something blocked the exit. A horrible skeletal creature stood in their way and the noises in the darkness stepped into the light revealing two more large skeletal cats. All three had tentacle mouths waving madly from forepaws and skull.

"Morgh" they seemed to groan all at once.

"You should not have come here!" Will shouted and raised his arms over his head.

Lightning shot from Will's fingers as he pointed them at one of the morghs from the shadows. Nick sent a silent prayer for Artemis to aid him as he ripped from his cape a type of weapon he had not used in years. A spiked chain unfurled from its hiding spot in the fabric and he spun it around before launching one end at the next closest enemy. Finnick charged the same monster as Judy drew her blade and readied her shield against the final creature not willing to leave the proximity of her husband.

The lightning strike on the first morgh knocked it back a few feet before it began charging at the mummy. The two collided hard and began exchanging blow after blow. Nick finished his prayer as his chain struck the beast slicing off one of its forepaw tentacles. The effect of the prayer took place immediately as the beast was suddenly caught in a pillar of holy flame. Finnick's charge with his long handled maul finished the beast as he swung it over his head bringing it crashing down driving the morgh into the stone floor with the crunch of scorched bones being pulverized. The final beast charged the companions only to be met with a shield bash striking it in the chest driving it backward from the small bunny's jumping strike. It struck with one of its tentacles making contact on her armor knocking her back in return.

Nick swung his chain as he twirled seemingly dancing with it as he struck with its spikes again and again at the monster trying to hurt Judy. Finnick smacked the other off Will with his maul and a cry of rage. The morgh snaked out one tentacle and snatched up the little todd and tossed him aside. The other kept trying to get past Judy's shield while she struck at the horrible appendages with her sword as they came within range.

…

His patience with the uncommunicative undead had payed off. Jack simply watched as the 'heroes' fought against the monsters as he walked inside of the tomb. He'd lost so many ghouls to these mammals who used to be his family and he could not afford to lose to them again. The ghoul lord stopped suddenly as he tried to move his legs. They would not respond. Something was preventing him from going to kill them but he could not see it.

…

It had taken over a decade but he was free. No longer the monsters prisoner but he no longer had a body either. Love and loss had torn his mind asunder leaving the other in control. It had massacred a village and gotten him killed. That evil act had left him open to the dark ritual that had brought the beast back into a new life. Gathering enough of its evil energy to make this move had been his sole purpose the entire time his walking corpse had been hunting and killing. Jack Savage was now in two places at once. His body, the ghoul lord, looked on with fear as Jack's ghost let go of it's feet and stood before it.

…

Will brought down the roof on himself and the morgh he was battling leaving the living heroes three on one with the last. Finnick swung and released his maul at its face as it swung its tentacles at Judy once more. He missed the face but struck it dead center of its torso. Nick entangled its feet with his chain and pulled bringing it to the ground. Judy jumped forward and drove her sword down in a holy smite against evil the blade temporarily imbued with holy magic as it went through its skull.

The companions looked up to see Jack and ...Jack. The solid one turned and ran not knowing what to do now that he had lost so much of himself. The running corpse suddenly fell over and another ghost was standing on it. The new ghost was another Jack. It turned around in confusion finally settling on it's doppelganger.

"Jack," it snarled.

"Savage," he replied, "It's time for me to take vengeance for Skye."

The ghost hares drew their swords and attacked each other viciously. Jack parried blow after blow as his savage self swung madly. Then it left itself open and he struck his a black hand from his gauntleted fist knocking the other ghost down one of the side halls.

He turned his head and yelled at his kin, "go now! I need to stop this. Goodbye."

Then he ran after Savage Jacks ghost both of them leaving their motionless body behind.

The three took his advice and ran out of the tomb into the light. It blinded Judy and Finnick for a moment but Nick seemed unaffected as they found their bearings. They were within a couple miles of the oasis. The towering trees seemed impossible in the burning heat. By all rights they shouldn't be there but the magic that sustained this oasis was different than the others. This was nature magic re-purposed to change the climate for one small location for the sole purpose of making a sanctuary for the followers of the more nature oriented gods in the middle of the desert.

As they marched through the final dunes toward the giant pines and oaks that looked more at home farther north where they were from than deep in the center of a desert Judy and Nick became increasingly aware of the change in temperature. It seemed like every step closer dropped the blistering heat down another peg. Soon Finnick was shivering and moving much more slowly while Judy was feeling like she could go for another few miles without a break. Nick noticed his little friends struggles and lifted him onto his shoulders while Judy, still under the effect of her sacred communion, lifted his maul over hers. Finnick, being the little tough guy that he was said nothing but grunted in gratitude all the same.

Upon finally reaching the edge of the trees they saw that the whole day had passed. Sitting on an old rotting stump just inside the Oasis was an ancient fox grey with age. He was missing an eye and an arm and had a staff in his right paw, obviously the one that remained. His clothing was reptile leather barely covering his modesty and looking far too large for him at the same time. He looked up at them with a sly smile and winked mischievously at Judy. The old mammal was well built for his age. If he hadn't been so old she might have been sure he was trying to flirt with her. As she noticed how his eye scanned her figure she realized he was. Gross.

The fox noted the look of disdain on her face and frowned. He simply shrugged and stood up from the stump. He shook his head and torso causing his leathers to shift. As he did so he changed, his color, his height and his species all changed. One second he was a fox the next a tall old dark wolf with decidedly odd features. The lion-like mane was the most obvious thing that stood out from the norm.

Craer was annoyed that she didn't immediately feel flattered when he winked at her, but he was getting used to bunnies spurning his advances.

"Hello," he said grinning wolfishly, "how is my son faring down in his tomb?"


	9. Chapter 9

A/n: for those that read my stories. Sorry I've taken so long between some chapters. I sometimes get stuck on one story for a while and block out others. Cimar is reading Lover from another planet so I've been working on that one for a while. Between that and helping some friends brainstorm story ideas this story and Bunnies invented friends with benefits took a backseat for a bit. Oh right some of you are probably wondering what I'm talking about. Bunnies invented friends with benefits no longer resides on Fanfiction . Net. I had to move it over to Ao3 after a rather big argument with Critics United. Not going to bother you all with the details but I just ignore their existence for the most part now. Shrugs my own fault for acting like a jerk. Anyway enjoy the latest installment of Corrupting influence of Power.

Sorry this one is a tad short but I got a lot going on right now.  
Thanks Brutus out!

Disclaimer: I'm skipping it this time. 

 

The confusion evident on the faces of the two foxes and one bunny told Craer that they had no idea what he was talking about. The old wolf chuckled at his own lack of clarity before explaining.

“Will, the half jackal mummy in the tombs,” he said, “is my son. He was one of my oldest when he was alive and now I think he may be the only one to outlast me.”

Nick looked up at the strange shape-shifting wolf not knowing how to break the news that Will had been crushed. Then it dawned on him that Craer had said half jackal and Nick realized this bizarre creature was, like them, of dragon descent. 

“I'm sorry,” Judy said without explanation.

The wolfish grin vanished from Craer’s face as he understood what she meant. He leaned heavily on his staff and threw his head back letting out a long mournful howl. The sound was taken up from every corner of the Oasis. Soon every mammal in the forest knew that a family member had been lost. 

“My family is large. We don’t take it well when a member dies. Please follow me I will bring us to where we need to go.” the old wolf said sadly as he walked leaning on his two colored staff heavily.

He led the way down the paths on the forest floor to a clear pool at the center of the Oasis. The trees stopped leaving a clearing a good thirty paces all around the water. Strange mammals were gathering all around the water's edge. Most looked at least part wolf, but there were some who were not hybrids. A scattered few wolves, painted dogs and one lone brown bunny holding a mesh bag filled with pinecones were also there. The assembled mammals eyed the trio curiously. Craer motioned for the company to wait and walked up rough stone steps to a high rock overlooking the water.

“I know you are curious about why I howled my children and so I will not keep you waiting.” The ancient wolf addressed the crowd, “The ancient tombs were assaulted by forces of evil and your brother Will held them at bay long enough to allow these three adventures to escape with their lives.” 

Nick was about to speak up but saw the look on Craer’s and Judy's faces begging him to be silent. He looked about at the mammals gathered around the water and decided that instead of disputing the over exaggerated version of Will's heroic sacrifice he'd make it sound even better.

“Will barely knew us and still he charged into that mass of monsters behind us and brought the ceiling of the tunnel down on their heads allowing my mate Judy, my friend Finnick and I to fight through the remaining monsters and reach your home. We will be forever grateful for what he did for us.” He said loudly to the crowd. 

Judy smiled at her husband and grasped his paw tightly. He glanced down with his signature smirk on his lips. Finnick saw this and noted to himself he’d better ask to be put far from them for the night. It was going to be loud and he needed his sleep. 

The assembly broke up shortly after Craer gave out duties to different mammals for a memorial in honor of their fallen brother. Craer appointed the tiger striped wolf Lilly to show the travelers to a place they could sleep. Turns out Finnick was right, the hut given to Nick and Judy for the night was the source for a great deal of noise.

…

The next morning Craer had the three brought to his home high in the trees. The old wolf was sitting on a wooden bench covered in thick soft moss. Beside him was a travelers pack with the flap open. He picked up what looked like a handle for a sword and dropped it into the pack. As he looked up at them he wrapped up a small bag of red berries with his one paw before tossing it into the pack as well. 

“Would you give me a paw buckling this on?” Craer said looking at Judy obviously ogling her body now that she was out of her armor, “mmm if I were younger I'd keep trying to seduce you, my dear. You are absolutely the most lovely bunny I've seen in a very long time.” 

“Thanks for the compliment but I think I’ll let Nick do that,” Judy commented while just enjoying the smell of Nick’s scent on her body. 

Nick did as she suggested but all the while he was thinking why is the old wolf packing? 

“So I bet you’re curious why I have tossed the entirety of my possessions into this magic pack,” Craer said, “misdirection.”

“Excuse me?” Nick asked confused and wondering if the creepy old wolf could read minds.

“Last night while you two were enjoying each other I was making arrangements for the oasis to disappear for a while.” Craer said the grin never leaving his face. “Today groups of my family will be leaving in all directions to confuse your pursuers, and the Oasis will move taking everyone else far from here. Everyone but the four of us.” 

“Wait. What?”


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: this one took on a life of its own. HAHAHA. You’ll get it in a few. Enjoy my weirdness.

“I’m going with you.” Craer said. 

…

Under the sands 

Two ghostly knights circled each other. Jack had his shield ready and his blade pointed at his foe. Savage held no weapon but his armor was covered in spikes and had hooked claws in the gauntlets. The two ghost hares studied their opponents moves and weapons looking for an opening to exploit. Savage’s patience failed first and charged his opposite side. Armor claws glanced off Jack’s steel shield and then the beast jumped as Jack stabbed forward intent on skewering it. 

They traded blow after blow without tiring for hours. The two being dead they didn’t tire. Sounds of battle filled the room and surrounding corridors. Neither could land a real blow. Outside the day faded into night. The fight raged on throughout the night. As the first rays of dawn hit the sand above a single ray of light shone through into the chamber. From that beam a ghostly chain surged out and wrapped around Jack’s forearm. 

The chain took them both by surprise. Jack pulled on the chain and a bright figure emerged from the light. She stood a little taller than the two hares and was clad in white robes as spotless as her fur. The vixen smiled at Jack then turned to the Savage and frowned. 

“Skye?” Jack said dumbfounded. 

“Let's do this for our children, the way we always did, together.” she said. 

…

The old wolf was not kidding about the oasis leaving. The druids would take the hands of a group and touch a tree with the other the whole group would be drawn within the tree which faded away afterward. Before long only the four of them and one sapling remained of the druids oasis. 

"I'm afraid someone will have to hold my tail. It's the uh lesser of the two available appendages this old cripple has." He said with a grin and a wink at Judy. 

“Ew,” she said as she pushed Finnick forward. 

“Do I have to grab his tail?” the little fox asked. 

“Finn, its his tail or his ‘other’ tail.” Nick said as he grabbed Judy’s and Finn’s hands in his own.

Finnick grabbed a hold of the druid lord’s tail and Craer said a few words in a strange language. As his paw touched the tree there was a feeling of movement and then they were no longer in the desert. The four companions were now standing in a forest at the far edge of the desert. They had traveled over 200 miles in a moment.

…

Savage struck at her but was stopped by Jack slashing at his face. Skye swung her chain at the evil ghosts feet but it jumped at Jack. It crashed into his shield and was thrown to the side. Jack charged at the evil that had been within him bringing his sword crashing down into its armor. Savage jumped to his feet growling. Before he could attack Skye’s heavy chain crashed into its face. Chain strike followed by shield bash followed up by a sword strike. Savage was unable to defend against both of his attackers. As the couple continued their assault the evil ghost version of Jack faded more and more until finally it vanished entirely. 

Skye walked up to her husband and wrapped him in her arms. Both of them were laughing and if they could do it they would be crying as well. The bittersweet reunion of hare and vixen only served as a reminder of what they had lost. They would never get to see the child who had never been born. Never get to see it grow or talk. Never get to tell it they loved it.

Skye took him by the paw and together they walked into the light.

…

The four mammals had begun the next leg of their journey. Walking north into the cooler lands where three of them belonged was refreshing. Finnick however was beginning to look to the south. His tribe and the other mammals of the desert had suffered greatly because of the monsters among them. Now that many of the undead were destroyed they stood a good chance of turning things around. Would it be easier if he were around to help?

A beam of light shone between the trees. It was yellow like the sun paired with the bluish light of the moon. It grew in brightness till the four adventurers had to cover their eyes or risk becoming blind. The blinding brightness faded and with it the words spoken by the Twins, “your loss is felt by the gods but we have been given this gift for us to use by our uncle but once. Use it well.”

Nick and Judy, Finnick and Craer moved the paws that were shielding their eyes. Lying on the grass before them were two unconscious and unclothed mammals. One had snow white fur and a fluffy tail covering her modesty for the most part. The other was light grey with black stripes and long ears and most definitely male.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: sorry about the shortness of my chapters lately but I hit a block the size of a brick wall and it took a while to get past it. 

 

The fox and bunny looked at the spreadeagled hare and fetal position arctic vixen. Without doubt they knew who the other lapin was. Their friend and family member Jack Savage had been returned to life once more by the Gods. Nick recognized the vixen as Jack’s wife and his own mentor Skye Frost who had been killed by a cursed Jack before she could give birth to her first litter. Both mammals bodies were flawless, empty of the scars that their last life had given them.

The hare began to stir before his love and before long his eyes were open. A gasp of realization was heard by the four adventurers as Jack realized he was breathing. He had a heartbeat. His ears could hear it. Rolling into a sitting position he saw out of the corner of his eye his beloved lying near him as alive as he was. Crawling quickly to her side he sees that the two of them are almost as nude as the day they were born. At least they both had fur.

“Skye, my love is this real? Please tell me it’s real.” Jack begged as he gently caressed her cheek.

Skye’s eyes fluttered open and she smiled at her male. She giggled at the sight of him in just his fur before squeaking in shock that she was as well. 

“Jack, we’re naked!” Skye yelped. 

“Jack, Skye,” Nick said his face one of disbelief, “you’re alive.”

…

Deep in the dark Temple of Nyx Dawn and Doug are talking in a chamber about what transpired in the desert and how to deal with it.

“So we lost the Savage but the High Priest’s monsters didn’t fare any better.” Doug told his fellow sheep. 

“True which is probably the only reason I’m still breathing,” she replied nervously. 

“Perhaps we should send our spies out to find them.” He said coldly. 

“I already have.”

…

An awkward group hug later and Finnick and Craer both were sporting bruises. Never mess with a taken vixen or her buck will hold you as she beats you. Nick loaned Skye his cloak to protect her modesty while Judy did the same for Jack, even though he couldn’t care less. Judy just was tired of seeing his bare ass.

There was smoke to the north of them, which was also the direction in which they were headed. As they got closer to the source the wind shifted and blew foul smelling smoke in their faces. The canines picked up what it was a second before the lapines. Burnt fur and flesh. The group picked up their pace breaking through the tree line to find a raided village and a burning pile of dead mammals. A single living form sat with its face in its paws. The large tiger was vibrating with sobs. 

The companions made their way around the pyre for the villagers toward the tiger who was lost in her grief. Once they were out of the smoke they saw the tigress was dressed for battle in croc leather armor and her sword belt sat nearby next to a travelers pack. Her ears picked up the sound of their footsteps and she looked up. Upon seeing armed mammals she rolled to her sword and drew it as she stood up gracefully. 

“Who are you? Why are you here?” she asked with a growl her butterfly swords in one paw pointed at them. “Did you do this?”

Judy stepped forward to speak for the group. “We are passing through on our way to Kestrel’s Landing. The wind shifted and we smelled what was in the smoke so we hurried here to see if we can help the survivors.”

“Oh, well then... damn it!” she slammed the blades back in their sheath. “Ma name is Rose Roar. Ah got here this mornin’ and everybody was dead. Ah started the fire and went house to house gatherin’ them up and well it finally got to me.”

“I’m Dame Judith Wilde-Hopps,” she said with a small smile at her todd, “this is my husband Nicholas, my cousin Jack and Skye his vixen. These two are Finnick and Craer. Any decent mammal would be crushed by this.”

“Judith Hopps? Ah was hired to find you by a friend of yours. A chubby cheetah called Clawhauser.” the tigress grinned at her luck before remembering what was burning. “Let's get somewhere we don’t have to see this and then we’ll talk.”

The tall female led the way to a high ceilinged building where they could all stand comfortably. The old wolf was watching her tail flick back and forth with interest and his grin firmly in place. Finnick kept looking back the way they had come at the pyre he did not want his own tribe to become. Jack and Skye were pointedly holding their cloaks closed. Judy was keeping close to Nick who had his tail brushing the back of her legs to reassure himself that she was real. 

…

It was this little line of mammals that drew their attention from the smoke. The dark cloaked figures outnumbered their quarry and turned to their leader a massive armored mammal carrying a hammer that put Finnick’s to shame with how large it was. 

“Surround the building, let none escape.” He said his voice full of venom. “Skin the rabbits.”

As they moved to follow his command he walked toward the front of the building intent on more death and destruction as his stained hammer hungered for more.

…

“Tell me Miss Kitty,” Craer asked Rose, “have you ever been with an older male?”

“Craer! Shut up!” Judy snapped at the old wolf. “Sorry Rose he chases every attractive female he sees.”

“While I am guilty of loving females I also happen to be extremely talented.” Craer says with a pointed look and licks his lips from one corner of his mouth to the other. 

“Excuse me sir but Ah am a Lady not some common trollop,” Rose Roar complained to the older male.

“Oh I know how to treat a lady so she never wants anything less,” he boasted back. 

Jack and Skye looked uncomfortable. They looked about the room and seeing that the furniture was sized for several species they went around looking for clothes. Finnick didn’t want the tiger to kill him so he stayed out of the druid lord’s flirty behaviour this time. Nick was trying not to laugh. He knew it would get him punched. 

Judy looked at the old wolf with a look of disgust, “Craer, seriously, shut the hell up. I don’t want to burn your corpse but I will.”

“Maybe you can tell meh later how talented ya are old wolf but for now just let us females talk.” the tigress sighed in resignation at his foolishness.

“Fair enough Miss Kitty,” he conceded, “but I didn’t hear a no so I may try to charm you later.”

Druid lord Craer went and sat on a chair near a window and closed his eye. Mere moments later he was snoring peacefully. Once he was indisposed the four mammals were left alone to speak.

“Nick, I have to talk to you,” Finnick said motioning for the larger fox to follow him to another room. 

Judy and Rose stood looking at each other for a quiet second before breaking the ice. 

“So you know Clawhauser?” Judy began. “He was just about my only friend in the Order other than Nick.”

“Yes, ah thought he liked me, so ah asked him to walk with me but he is just into clothes and food.” she said, shaking her head. “He’s a very sweet male but he liked what ah wore and how cute a couple his old friend made with her long missing husband more than he liked me.” 

“Yeah he was always like that. A bit obsessed with his favorite couples and he never did seem like the ladies mammal type.” Judy explained. 

“So a while back he shows up at ma place and asks me to find you and help you get home. He said that there’s a hit out on you Judy and that someone in the Order put it there.” she explained gravely. “The Order has a spy in their ranks and whoever they are wants you dead girl.”

Just then a voice from outside calls out loudly, “JUDITH HOPPS COME OUT AND DIE!”


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Ok so as usual I left you hanging, much to my amusement. Hehe anyway this chapter is mostly battle and should keep you entertained. One final thing Cimar is reading this story now! Yay! for the roo boys attention.

Disclaimer: look at the chapter number. Yep 13 and you know what that means; bad luck for our heroes. technically it is chapter 13 i just combined 1 and 2 when i moved it to ao3. yeah sorry for confusing you all.

 

Chapter 13

Jack and Skye ran back into the main room pulling on bits of light armor as they did so. A sword hung from jacks belt while Skye had Nick’s spiked chain. Nick and Finnick stood up quickly and followed them over to Judy and Rose. Craer was awake and looking out the window with his mouth curled into a snarl.

“They have the building surrounded my young friends.” He said.

“What do we do now?” Judy asked the group before noticing they were all standing there with weapons drawn and ready to fight. “Oh, okay. What are we up against, Craer?”

“Its a hippo. He's in full plate with a big ass hammer. I also see many medium and small mammals in cloaks with black dragon masks.” The druid lord moved away from the window a moment before it shattered from a thrown rock.

“Nyx cultists.” spat Jack.

Skye looked both mad and fearful. These were the same kind of monsters that cost her and Jack their child and their lives. Nick touched a green jewel and said a quiet word in Vulpine. Suddenly every empty slot in his bandoliers, and there was all but one empty, were filled with his set of throwing knives once more. The green jewel crumbled into dust, its magic expended. 

Craer walked toward the door leaning on his staff with every step and stopped just short of it. He looked over his shoulder at Rose and the others before speaking. “Rose, you and I need to get the big guy. The rest of you need to go out other doors and engage the nearest cultists. Go fast, hit hard, duck into and through houses and never stop moving.”

“How are you going to fight that guy? He’s huge!” Rose asked moving to support his plan anyway. 

“Don’t you worry your sweet heart about me. I know more about magic and shapeshifting than any other living druid.” The druid lord stood straight and tall like he was as strong as a mammal fifty years younger. “He won’t know what hit him. Go all of you!”

With that he kicked the door open and off its hinges. The magic had already begun to work on his body as he stepped outside and changed into a charging elephant. With a trumpeting blast through his trunk Craer swung his staff and knocked the hippo knight backwards about ten feet. Rose was running behind Craer and vaulted over him drawing her blades and launching herself forward at the bloodstained warrior.

…

Nick ran in one direction with Finnick and Judy while Jack and Skye went in another. The three mammals burst out the side door. Judy charged first, shield held high, and slammed into a black robed mammal that grunted like a pig. He hit the ground and flipped before coming to a rest face down in the road. 

Nick threw three of his knives at another cloaked figure a bit taller than he was. One shattered the mask revealing a wolf who fell to her knees with that blade in her nose and two more in her legs. He ran up and ripped the knife back out of her face and turned to find his next foe as the she wolf screamed.

Finnick swung his maul and knocked down a third cultist thrice his size and the three split and ran in separate directions. The fennec todd ran down the road and ducked into a house whose door was wide open. He kept going looking for a back way out. There wasn’t another door. The sudden pain in his back took him by surprise and dislodged some of the sand still caked on his clothes. He looked down and saw the arrowhead had pierced all the way through his heart. 

…

Jack and Skye meanwhile didn’t leave each other’s line of sight but moved from building to building hitting cultists who got in their way. Skye saved Jack twice with her chain pulling cultists to the ground before they could strike. He returned the favor with his flying leaps into the path of the enemies striking with the sword he’d found. 

…

Back on the endless dunes of the great desert a little sand twister spun following a tribe of fennec foxes she had promised to protect. The spirit of Still Sands could feel fresh blood on the sand but she couldn’t see it anywhere. She extended her consciousness to the whole of the desert but could not find a bleeding fox. Her magic was telling her that this was important so she asked the gods whose blood it was and where that fox was. The immediate answer was a surprise but that it was Finnick and that he was out of the desert scared her more than she cared to admit. Gathering all of her power at once the spirit left the desert for the first time since she had first come to exist in this form. Upon arriving a second later the spirit gathered all the available sand in the area. It was not enough for what she wanted so she gathered the ashes of the burning mammals and even the dried blood that she found and brought it together. The form would contain her but if she were to become damaged this far from the desert she knew she might die. Finnick mattered more.

…

The hippo blocked her blades with the steel shaft of his hammer. With a massive shove he knocked Rose back before having to fend her off again and again. Craer watched the fight in his normal form ready to throw magic or jump in as needed. The massive warrior hit her surprisingly quickly with his gauntleted fist knocking her backward to the ground Craer charged throwing himself between them as he threw a handful of magically charged berries into the hippos face. They exploded in small puffs of flame that must have blinded him momentarily for he swung his hammer blindly. It crashed into Craer’s side with a crunch of broken bones and the wolf flew out of the hippos way. He threw off his damaged helm as Rose jumped to her feet with a growl and Judy turned a corner. 

“Higgins?” she said surprised that she recognized the hippo. “What are you doing?”

“Purging the impure blood from the world you little slut.”

…

Finnick lay bleeding out on the floor. A slow pool of red spreading below him and his sight beginning to blur when he saw a swirl of dust suddenly take on a shape. She was a vixen about half a foot taller than he. Black and grey mixed in with her tan fur. She stooped down and picked up his maul in one paw easily then turned to the bow wielding cultist coming in the door. She launched the heavy weapon into the black robed figure and didn’t even bother to watch his flight as he crashed into the wall of the building across the street. A flick of her ear closed the shutters and the door. The nude vixen knelt next to Finnick and placed a paw on his chest the other on the arrow. The arrow becomes sand which is absorbed into Finnick. He inhales once then all goes black.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Ok this is gonna take awhile. For starters thank you SpookorSpecter for the saying you told me. Next after this chapter I’m pausing the main story and touching up on previous chapters. I don’t always go into the detail that I see in my head and so that is why you may see this story pop up from time to time. I may at some point write a prequel or just work in more flashbacks I’m not sure. Finally I am going to take on a couple stories that my girlfriend Sandsstill is finding hard to continue. The next one I plan on working on is Under Earth. I really hope I do it justice.

“Stupid little dragonkin fox loving slut I’m going to give your pelts to Nyx.” the crazed hippo yelled in Judy’s direction.

Bartholemew Higgins was a knight of the order at one point but it seemed all of his bigotry had come to the surface and he let himself become one of the monsters the Order fought against. Now he was nothing more than a beast that needed to be put down. 

“You’re welcome to try,” she yelled back before tossing her shield aside in favor of a more maneuverable combat style.

Her shield would be useless against a hammer that size. The best chance she had was to not get hit. Judy ran forward intent on helping Rose deal with the beast who had hurt the old druid who had come to be her friend.

Higgins hit Rose again knocking her down and charged at Judy swinging low. She jumped high over his head slicing off an ear on the way. The hippo screamed in pain and frustration. Turning around he saw Judy using her healing powers on the tigress bringing her back to her feet and angry. 

“That’s it! I haven’t eaten rabbit in two years but today I am gonna eat your little legs before you die!” he said with an evil smile, “the way I did with your sister after I smashed your little brat beneath my foot!”

…

Nick was running around picking his knives up from fallen foes. His agility had prevented any from getting close to hurting him but he was running low on flying blades of death. He heard the exchange between Higgins and Judy but was not all that interested until the hippo confessed that he was the reason Nick would never know one of his daughters. The todds mind went straight to the Gods where he made an urgent plea for justice. 

“I asked for so much these last seven years, usually for you to let me die so I could be with Judy again.” Nick prayed aloud, “I know now that I just had to wait for your long game to play out. Bet you never saw what happened with my daughter coming did you? Well the mammal who did it is here. Please help me stop him.”

…

Jack and Skye faced off against the last four cultists in a blind alley away from the main fight. They heard yelling but could not hear what was being said. A large hoofed mammal with thin legs charged Skye with an axe. Jack jumped in his way slashing through the ungulate’s torso. It dropped its weapon and fell to the ground in two pieces the blood flowing freely and forming a large pool of red liquid. Skye shot out her chain at what she smelled was a bunny. It leaped over her attack and drove its dagger at Jack’s back. It drove in and stuck in Jack’s armored plates cutting his skin but doing no more than that. Before the cultist bunny could withdraw the blade for another strike the bladed spikes of Skye’s chain encircled its throat and tightened till they pierced to the bone. The last mammal cultist standing smelled of skunk and when it saw that it was the last alive he also smelled of piss. 

He turned and ran screaming, “Please don’t kill me! I don’t want to die!”

The two of them looked at the skunk and back to each other before laughing hysterically and falling into each other’s arms. They stop as their eyes meet and kiss passionately even as their foes lie dead at their feet.

…

Judy and Rose kept striking and dodging the massive hippo as he swung his hammer angrily trying to kill them. They could not get through his armor and he did not allow another hit to strike his face. He feinted and let them close to strike at what they thought was an unprotected side. He swung his weapon faster than they could believe catching Rose and knocking her into Judy. They hit the ground hard. Higgin raised his weapon above his head in both hands high above his head for a killing blow.

“RRRROOOOOOAAAAAAAARRRRRR!!!!!!” 

The three combatants looked up and saw Nick. He was 30 feet in the air above them and descending rapidly. The todd looked drastically different from his usual red furred self. His fur glowed bright silver and he had silver dragon wings extended from his back. Higgins stood there unmoving, the shock evident on his fat face. Nick crashed into the brutal warrior as he came suddenly out of his dive driving Higgins into the side of a building. The house collapsed around the hippo as he stood up from the rubble. Nick landed in front of the ruined home and opened his fanged mouth. From his open maw came a blast of icy cold air imbued with the magic of the moon. A miniature blizzard with the full force of a real one many hundreds of times its size struck Bartholemew Higgins. In the few seconds that Nick stood blowing the beast who had killed his daughter stood frozen in a block of ice. Nick collapsed unconscious his fur changing back slowly to its normal red color as the wings faded away. 

The second Nick had dealt with the hippo, Rose ran to the old wolf. He’d been hit dead on by Higgin’s hammer while saving her. Craer grinned weakly at the tigress his remaining teeth covered with his own blood. His chest was partially caved in by the impact and when he tried to talk there was not enough air to do so. He simply mouthed the words Worth it. Then he closed his eye. 

Rose felt useless and worthless. All she had been able to do was delay the beast until better mammals could take him down. She knew that if Craer had let her be hit he could have blasted the evil warrior to dust, and yet he had jumped in the way and given her a chance. She took the males head in her paws and bent down to kiss him. As she did so she could feel his weak breath on her lips. 

“He is still alive!!” she yelled out loud.

Then she took a ring off one of her fingers and put it on him. Immediately he began to breathe more easily. His chest began to reinflate and he awoke screaming in pain. 

“Rose there’s a sword handle in my pack. Get it, hurry. Ahhh!!”

She did as she was told and found the strange object. It was old and looked as if the blade had been burned off. It barely fit in her massive paw having been made for the big pawed wolf lying in front of her. 

“Touch the pommel. Then stab me.” Craer choked out before spitting up more blood and fainting.

Confused she stood still thinking that she couldn’t kill him, he’d saved her. But this could cause him to drown in his own blood before the ring did as it was supposed to do. Sighing she drew one of her swords and was about to do as he asked when she realized he had told her two things. Touch the pommel? Turning over the handle she saw the ornate pommel was a goat’s head, the symbol for Pan the Wild God. She brushed the finely sculpted face with her index finger’s pad. The tigress had been holding the broken weapon so if it had a blade it would have been in the old wolf. As her pad made contact a blade of energy blazed to life and struck Craer’s trembling form. A spark crackled from the point of impact to the ring Rose had put on his paw. Light blinded her from his body as he glowed as bright as a bolt of Zeus’ lightning.


End file.
